Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for generating information codes, and in particular, to a method and an apparatus for generating a two-dimensional information code such as a QR code (registered trademark) in which an image is incorporated in the code region thereof.
Related Art
At present, uses of information codes have been diversified, and technologies of arranging a photograph or a graphic in a code region have been proposed. For example, the technology of JP 5057560 B obtains an inversely converted bit string by inverse transform of a bit string that forms a region read as a single value in a two-dimensional code, and generates a two-dimensional code by conversion of the inversely converted bit string, based on format information of two-dimensional code, thereby to generate a special two-dimensional code including a design region configured from a single gradation value.
In the technology of JP 5057560 B, when the design region is the special two-dimensional code configured from a white module, for example, the special two-dimensional code and given design data are composed such that a design configured from a gradation value in a range read as white is formed in the design region. Meanwhile, when the design region is the special two-dimensional code configured from a black module, for example, the special two-dimensional code and given design data are composed such that a design configured from a gradation value in a range read as a black is formed in the resign region.
[PTL 1] JP Patent No. 5057560
By the way, the existing technologies related to information codes lack an idea to freely insert an image at the time of generating a code, although there is a technology of expressing an image (a design or the like) different from a cell shape, in the code region, like JP 5057560 B. Therefore, while a design image or the like can be displayed in the code region, a size or a shape of a displayed image, an overall design of a final code, and the like may not be matched with requirements of a user, and in this regard, convenience of the user is impaired.